Board Conflict of Interest

It is the policy of Lake Michigan College that members of the Board of Trustees must avoid actual conflicts of interest as well as the appearance of any conflicts of interest. A conflict of interest exists when the personal interests of the individual Board member may be affected by his or her position, power or duties with the College. For the purpose of this policy, individual Board member's personal interest includes the interests of his or her immediate family, his or her employer, or any corporation, partnership or unincorporated entity in which he or she possesses an ownership interest of more than one (1%) percent, except for businesses whose ownership interests are traded on a national securities exchange.

A. Receipt or Furnishing of Goods, Services and Benefits:

No member of the Board of Trustees shall furnish goods or services to the College or its agents, employees or subcontractors for remuneration, except under such terms and conditions as are made available to the public in general, and only after public disclosure to and approval by the Board of Trustees. This policy shall not prevent members of the Board from donating goods or services to the College, even though such donations may qualify as charitable deductions under the Internal Revenue Code.

No member of the Board of Trustees shall receive, obtain or use goods or services from the College, or its personnel, except under such terms and conditions as are made available to the public in general and only after public disclosure to and approval by the Board. Any Board member who receives, obtains or uses goods or services from the College or its personnel shall pay fair consideration in such amounts as are required of members of the public in general, and shall adhere to the ordinary procedures and policies of the department or division of the College rendering the services or furnishing the goods.

No member of the Board of Trustees or members of their immediate families, and no firms in which the Board member has any interest may enter into a conveyance or lease of property to the College unless full public disclosure of the relationship has been made to and approved by the Board.

B. Participation in Contract Awards:

Members of the Board of Trustees shall not participate in deliberations or decisions with respect to the award of any contract, property or benefit in which the member may have a direct or indirect personal interest.

Any Board member who has any direct or indirect interest in the award of any contract, property or benefit by the College shall make public disclosure of such interest and shall abstain from participating in any manner in any decisional process of the College.

C. Undue Influence:

Members of the Board of Trustees shall not accept gifts, gratuities, services or any other benefit from any employee of the College, or from any person, firm or entity which possesses or seeks to possess any goods, services, contracts or benefits from the College.

No Board member may enter into any financial or business relationship with any employee of the College, or hire or contract with any employee of the College to furnish goods or services except as provided in Paragraph A (2) above.

Board members shall not recommend the hiring of any applicant for employment with the College or use their influence as Board members to effect hiring decisions, except while acting on hiring decisions in their official capacities as Board members.

Board members shall not apply for College employment until at least one year after leaving the service of the Board.

D. Process for Review: Board members are required to familiarize themselves with and to abide by the contents of this Conflict of Interest policy. The policy requires that Board members in a position to approve or substantially influence purchases made on behalf of the College or engage in other business transactions on behalf of the College file a Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form with Human Resources at time of appointment. Board members will update the completed form and forward to Human Resources as changes warrant. Any conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest will be immediately reported to the Board Chair and the President.

Responsibility: Vice President, Administrative Services & Special Assistant to the President